1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a telephone exchange apparatus which accommodates a plurality of extensions, and to a method of connecting calls in this exchange apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
A telephone exchange apparatus having a telephone directory function is known in the art. When a call originates from an extension terminal connected to such a telephone exchange apparatus, an operator of the extension terminal retrieves stored telephone directory data by using the extension terminal and selects the dial number of the desired party to be called and then originates a call from the extension terminal in accordance with the selected dial number of the desired party.
The information stored as the telephone directory data includes not only dialing information indicative of telephone numbers but also comments (e.g., the company name of the other party) corresponding to the dialing information. The arrangement is such that this information is capable of being displayed on a display unit of the extension terminal in response to a command from the extension terminal.
The operation for retrieving a party's dial number is usually carried out solely by a special-purpose extension telephone, which is equipped with a display unit, accommodated by the telephone exchange apparatus. In actuality, dialing information, such as a party's facsimile telephone number, also is capable of being verified on the display unit of the special-purpose extension telephone without performing a call operation from this special-purpose extension telephone. After the dialing information and comments displayed on the display unit of the special-purpose extension telephone have thus been verified, the retrieved dial number is inputted to place an outgoing call by automatic calling performed by the special-purpose extension telephone or by a manual operation performed at another extension terminal.
Thus, in the example of the prior art described above, an outgoing call based upon telephone directory data stored in the telephone exchange apparatus cannot be performed from an ordinary extension terminal, such as a facsimile machine or cordless telephone, among the extension terminals connected to the telephone exchange apparatus. As a consequence, after displaying and verifying a party's facsimile number using the special-purpose extension telephone, the user of the facsimile machine or cordless telephone must write down this number and place the call by dialing the number manually from the facsimile machine or cordless telephone while referring to the written number. Thus, operability is poor.
Furthermore, not only telephone directory data but also single-touch dial numbers and abbreviated dial numbers that have been registered in the telephone exchange apparatus cannot be used at an extension telephone other than the special-purpose extension telephone.